Cannes Festival Festival is an international film festival that is held in France every year. Called as the International Film Festival until the year 2002, it is a platform for directors, filmmakers and performers all over the globe. The stage previews all new films across all genres, including documentaries around the world. The festival was founded in the year 1946 and this year it will be in its 72nd edition. The Cannes festival 2019 will start from May 14 and go on till May 25 this year. As film enthusiasts around the world, already await this year's edition of Cannes, let us take a look back into the history, transformation and timeline of this coveted event. Selfies Banned at Cannes Film Festival Red Carpet; Festival Director Terms it 'Ridiculous'.